Fujifilm X-T20 versus Canon G1 X Mark II

The Fujifilm X-T20 and the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively,
in January 2017 and February 2014. The X-T20 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the G1X Mark II is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (X-T20) and an 1.5-inch (G1X Mark II) sensor. The Fujifilm has a resolution of 24 megapixel, whereas the Canon provides 13 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Fujifilm X-T20 vs Canon G1 X Mark II

The physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X-T20 and the Canon G1 X Mark II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left side – the X-T20 – represents the basis for the calculations across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Canon G1 X Mark II is notably smaller (12 percent) than the Fujifilm X-T20. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the X-T20 nor the G1X Mark II are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the G1X Mark II has a lens build in,
whereas the X-T20 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can find an overview of optics for the X-T20 and their specifications in the Fujinon X Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the X-T20 gets 350 shots out of its NP-W126S battery,
while the G1X Mark II can take 240 images on a single charge of its NB-12L power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

The camera’s price is obviously a critical decision-making factor. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The G1X Mark II was launched at a lower price than the X-T20, despite having a lens build in. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Fujifilm X-T20 vs Canon G1 X Mark II

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Fujifilm X-T20 features an APS-C sensor and the Canon G1 X Mark II
an 1.5-inch sensor. The sensor area in the G1X Mark II is 29 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.85. The sensor in the X-T20 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the G1X Mark II offers a 4:3 aspect.

In terms of underlying technology, both cameras are build around CMOS sensors.

With 24MP, the X-T20 offers a higher
resolution than the G1X Mark II (13MP), but the X-T20 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of
3.92μm versus 4.49μm for the G1X Mark II). However, the X-T20 is a somewhat more recent model (by 2 years and 11 months) than the G1X Mark II, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X-T20 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The X-T20 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in relatively fast and reliable autofocus acquisition during video recording.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the X-T20 provides a higher video resolution than the G1X Mark II. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison: Fujifilm X-T20 vs Canon G1 X Mark II

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the X-T20 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight.
In contrast, the G1X Mark II relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the G1X Mark II can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the EVF-DC1. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Fujifilm X-T20 and Canon G1 X Mark II along with similar information for a selection of comparators. The full specs-sheets can be found in the camera manual or in the dpreview camera hub.

Both the X-T20 and the G1X Mark II are recent models that feature in their makers' current product line-up. The G1X Mark II replaced the earlier Canon G1 X, while the X-T20 followed on from the Fujifilm X-T10.

Review summary: Fujifilm X-T20 vs Canon G1 X Mark II

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Fujifilm X-T20 and the Canon G1 X Mark II? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a build-in lens.

More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2014).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the X-T20 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision.

X-T20 14:07 G1X Mark II

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the X-T20 and the G1X Mark II in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

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